Thursday, November 3, 2011

President Obama At Cannes G20 Working Lunch

On the menu: Lots of love for fellow world leaders, and the global financial crisis...President Obama attended the Cannes G20 working lunch at the 'Espace Riviera,' after morning bilaterals. It was a big love fest: He arrived at 1:15 and took to his left, heading to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and host French President Nicolas Sarkozy. They chatted for a few seconds before British Prime Minister David Cameron joined them. He then took a stroll to Australian Premier Julia Gillard who got a hug, as European President Herman van Rompuy, European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan watched. The President will visit Gillard in Australia later this month.

Eventually the Europeans got a handshake but Erdogan "got the hug treatment," pool reported. The President then walked all the way around the room after noticing that "people are really far away around there."

He stopped for quick handshakes and reached out to President Hu Jintao of China.

"Ni hao," President Obama greeted him, which is "hello" in Chinese.

They cordially shook hands and posed for photographers. The President then went to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudohyono as Sarkozy was calling the room to order and asking the reporters to leave.

Mr. Obama then greeted his Argentinian counterpart Cristina Kirchner who just got reelected without runoff. Angela Merkel wascongratulated her in English. (Above: with Canada Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President Yudhoyono)

"So Nicolas, we all have to take lessons" of Kirchner's victory, said President Obama; both face reelection in 2012.

For the lunch, President Obama was seated between Sarkozy (on his right) and Kirchner (on his left). Further on the left were Erdogan, Gillard and the Europeans. Further on o the President's right were Merkel, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, Dilma Rousseff of Brazil and Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi.